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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

s. M. & 0. 0. DOWST. COIN CONTROLLED STAMP DELIVERY MACHINE.

No. 440,698. Patent-ed Nov. 18, 1890.

P Q 1 r v 1 I l (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. M. & G. 0.1)0WST. 00m CONTROLLED STAMP DELIVERY MAGHINE.

No; 440,698. Patented Nov. 18 1890.

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J' oI/g ys No Model 3 SheetsShee-t s.

S. M. & O. 0. DOWST. 00m CONTROLLED STAMP DELIVERY MACHINE.

No. 440,698. Patented. Nov. 18,1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

sAMUEL M. oows'r AND CHARLES 0. power, F HICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TOTHE AUTOMATIC MACHINE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

COIN-CONTROLLED STAMP-DELIVERY MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 4:40.698, datedNovember 18, 1890.

Application filed July 3, 1890. Serial No. 357.696. (No model.)

To ZZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, SAMUEL M. DOWST and CHARLES O. Dowsr, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Coin-Controlled Stamp-Delivering Machine, which are fully set forth in thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompany- Io ingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide reliable and convenientmeans for delivering stamps and other like articles of inapprecia- 1 bleor slight weight and thickness upon the deposit of a suitable coin topay for the same.

Figure 1 is a perspective of our machine. Fig. 2 is a front elevationwith the front plate removed. Fig. 3 is a section at the line 3 3 onFig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section at the line 4 4:

On Fig. 3, showing, however, in dotted lines certain part-sin front ofthe plane of the section, the position of the parts shown in this viewbeing that occupied when the device is closed and locked. 5 is a detailside elevation of the parts with which the coin 00- operates inunlocking, the same being shown with the coin in position to performthat function, the other parts being in the position shown in Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. Al, but showing theparts in the position occupied when the sliding door is open. Fig. 7 isa detail front elevation of the locking mechanism only in the positionoccupied after the first deposit of the coin and the partial lifting ofthe door to bring into operation the locking mechanism to unlock thedoor by the assistance of the coin.

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan of the same parts shown in Fig. 7, sectionbeing made at the line 8 8 on Fig. 0. Fig. 9 is a detail side elevationof the same parts in the position shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a sectionat the line 10 10 on Fig. 3. Fig. 11 is aperspective of a stamp-caseused with my machine.

A is the exterior case. It has at the forward side the opening A,through which access is obtained when the door which closes itiswithdrawn into the delivering-receptacle, hereinafter described. It hasat the upper right-hand corner the slot A which leads into thecoin-chute. It has in the upper end the door A by which access isobtained to charge or fill the magazine with the stamps or otherarticles to be delivered. It has at the lower end of the right-hand sidethe door A, by which access is obtained to the coin-drawer. Each of thedoors A and A is fastened by a suitable secure lock operated by a key,as in dicated by the key-holes o and a, respect ively. 6o

13 is the magazine, adapted to contain the stamps or articles to bedelivered. This magazine is journaled on the stud-bolt B, which isinserted through the center of the cylinder and screwed into thestandard B which is made fast to the back A of the case A. The cylinderhas the radial partitions B said partitions dividing the exteriorportion of the cylinder into receptacles or pockets 12 each pocket beingadapted to receive the number of stamps which it is designed to deliverat each action of the mechanism that is, upon each deposit of theselected coin. These partitions need not extend, and as illustrated donot extend, entirely across from disk to disk of the cylinder, eachpartition being, as illustrated, made up of two pieces secured,respectively, to the two disks and to the hub 13 of the cylinder, thusleaving the space B for convenience of handling the stamps in insertingor removing them, a small pair of pinchers being the most convenienttool with which to handle them, such tool being inserted in the space Eto seize the contents of any one pocket without the inconvenience whichwould be experienced it it were necessary to reach down into the pocketbetween the two partition-walls in order to 'grasp the stamp. Upon theback of the cylinder Bis fixed a ratchet-plate B having as many teeth as0 there are pockets 19 by means of which the cylinder is actuated, ashereinafter described. A similar ratchet-plate 13 but with its teethpointing in an opposite direction, is secured on the front side of thecylinder, though it is not material that the two plates should be atopposite sides, but only that they should be adapted to operate or beoperated by a pawl in opposite directions.

0 is the magazine-case, which is a cylin- I00 drical band which inclosesthe magazine B, fitting it snugly, but not so as to prevent the magazinefrom turning readily within such case. the back A of the outer case A inany convenient manner. As illustrated, it has four feet 0 O C 0extending to the back of the case and made fast thereto. At the upperside the case O is open for a distance of sixty degrees, exposing theopen ends of the magazine-pockets for that distance, said opening beingdirectly below the door A so that when that door is open access to themagazine is obtained through said opening 0 in the magazine-case tocharge the magazine.

The case 0 has at the lower side an opening 0 equal in extent to the endopening of each of the pockets 12 so that the contents of any pocketthat may coincide with'that opening may be delivered by gravity out ofsaid pocket and through said opening into the delivery receptacle, whichis located immediately below the magazine.

D is the delivery-receptacle. It is open at the topand at the forwardside. It opens immediately underneath the magazine, whose case 0 closesit at the top, except as to the access, which is obtained from themagazine into the delivery-receptacle at the opening Cinsa'idmagazine-case. At the forward side the opening in saiddelivery-receptacle faces the opening A in the outer face A, so thataccess into the delivery-receptacle may be obtained from outside of theentire case through said opening A. The delivery-receptacle is supportedby being provided with a foot D, whichfextends back from its lower endto the 'back'of the case A and is made fast thereto, leaving a spacebetween the back of the delivery-receptacle and the back of the case, inwhich certain of the mechanism is located, as hereinafter explained. Tothe delivery-receptacle at the lower end of the forward side there issecured the angle-bar D whose ver tical lip has a'width corresponding tothe vertical movementn'ecessary in'certain of the operating mechanism,hereinafter described, and whose horizontal lip affords support andlodgment for the sliding door which closes the opening A in the case A,the forward edge of said horizontal lip being in contact with the frontplate of the case A below the lower margin of said opening.

E is a sliding door adapted to close the opening A and-obstruct entranceintothe delivery-receptacle D. It-is largerin vertical and horizontaldimensions than the opening A, so that placed in position within thecaseit obtains bearing on all four sides beyond the margin of saidopening. It is provided with an opening which is filled with atransparent pane E, and it has a handle E, which pro- 1 jects throughthe opening A and by which This magazine-case is supported uponextendingaround and embracing within it the delivery-receptacle D, the rear barof said yoke afiording means for connecting the same and thereby thedoor to the locking mechanism, which is located behind the delivery-1eceptacle.

It will be observed from the description already given that if themagazine is charged with stainpsone in each of its pocketsand if it bealternately rotated and halted to bring one pocket at a time in linewith the dischargeaperture 0 of the magazine-case, the contents of saidpockets will be delivered one by one from the magazine into thedelivery-receptacle, and that it the door which closes said receptaclein front be opened, permitting access through the outer case into thereceptacle, the stamps thus delivered into the delivery-receptaclemay beremoved from the case.

We will now describe the mechanism by which the'door is locked andunlocked and by which the magazine is rotated by sliding the door up anddown. To thebackplatethere is secured the coin-chute F, which extendsfor-. ward and terminates at the slot A in the front plate. At the'lowerend said coin-chute terminates just above the arm'G of the lever G,which rocks horizontally on a vertical pivot G on the back of the caseand has the upper side of the end of the arm G,which isat the deliveryend of the coin-chute, beveled to adapt it to be actuated by the curvededge of the coin delivered upon it, so that when such coin is pusheddownward that arm of the lever will be crowded backward, carryingforward the other arm, which operates as a latch to lock the slidingdoor closed, as shortly hereinafter explained.

H is a lever rocking vertically on a horizontal pivot on the back plateand having its shorter arm protruding across the path of the cointhrough the coin-chute, which is slotted to admit said arm, said lever,however, at its lowest position having its said shorter arm entirely outof the path of thecoin, but adapted, when the lever is rocked, to passinto said path, as stated, so that if in the meanwhile a coin had beendropped into the chute and lodged upon the lever-arm G the shorter armof the lever H, upon said lever being rocked, will descend upon theupper edge of the coin and push the coin downycausing it to crowd thelever-arm G back and withdraw the opposite arm out of the path of thecatch, which it'is adapted to engage to lock the door shut. This catchconsists of a nose I at the lower end of the slide 1, which moves invertical slide-bearings upon the back of the case and has its shoulderfacing upward to engage under the lever Gand its tapering face adaptedto crowd said lever back as the nose descends from above it, so that thenose can pass the lever and be stopped below it. The slide I, whichcarries said nose, carries also the studpin 1 which engages in the slotH of the lever H, and as the slide is vertically operated in ltsbearings said stud, by means of its encants, Samuel M. Dowst and FrankH. Hos

mer.

The slide 1' has the block I secured to it in front to aflford means forconnecting it to the cross-bar of the yoke E and thereby caused to movewith the door E. It will be observed that, as in said former patent, thenose I at the lowest position of the slide to which it is attachedstands some distance below the latch or lever G, which prevents the doorfrom being fully openedthat is, that the door can be lifted somedistance before the obstruction ofiered by said latch is encounteredtheconstruction being in this respect similar to that set forth in thatpatent, some portion of the play thus obtained being necessary to giveopportunity to the lever H to cause it to actuate the latch or leverGbefore the nose reaches that lever. In the present structure thedistance which the slide and nose and door can move before the latch isencountered by the nose is somewhat greater than is necessary for thepurpose last stated, and this play in this construction serves anadditional purpose, which will be apparent from the further description.

K is a pawl adapted to engage the ratchetdisk B of the magazine B, saidpawl being pivoted upon the sliding arm K, which is supported inhorizontal slide-bearings on the back of the case A, the pawl beingprovided with the spring 7t, adapted to hold it against the rim of theratchet-disk, and the slide being provided with the spring 7t, adaptedto hold it at the outer limit of its sliding, movement and to move it ina direction to retract the pawl over the ratchet-disk.

K is a lever pivoted on a horizontal pivot in the back of the case andengaging at its upper end the slide-bar K. The block I has a projection1 which extends laterally far enough to contact with the lateral edge ofthe lever K below the pivot of the latter, said lever being held againstthe said projection by the action of the spring '70 Said lever-arm onthe side which contacts the projection I is cut back from the line ofthe path of the contacting end of said projection 1 so that as saidprojection travels vertically with the slide 1 said lever-arm, beingheld against the projection by the spring 7c, is caused to swing backand forth and so to move or permit the motion of the slide K back andforth at proper time, according to the form of the edge of the lever Kfor the purpose of causing the pawl K to actuate the ratchet-wheel andthereby the magazine at the proper time in the vertical 7 movement ofthe slide and of the door, which moves with the slide. It will beobserved that the trailing or returning of the pawl occurs during theupward movement of the door, and that the actuating movement of the pawlwill occur during the downward movement of the door, and it should befurther noted that the said lever K is cut away at such point that theextent of the returning or trailing movement of the pawl occasionedwhile the slide is moving upward as far as it can move before the noseIengages thelatch or lever Gis not sufficient to withdraw the pawl pastthe point of a ratchet-tooth, so that such action is inoperative toactuate the magazine or prepare the pawl to actuate it upon the returnor downward movement of the door through the same distance. It will beobserved, also, that the door E at its lowestposition extends down infront of the vertical lip D of the angle-bar D so that the upwardmovement of the door does not uncover the opening into the receptacle Duntil such movement has equaled the entire distance that the door lapsin front of said lip D. This distance is as great as the distance fromthe shoulder of the nose I to the latch G It will be'seen, therefore,that such movement of the door as can be given without the deposit of acoin to cause the latch to be released will be ineffectual either togain access into the delivery-receptacle or to actuate the magazine tocause the delivery of the stamps into said receptacle. If, however,after the deposit of a coin the door be lifted, the movement at firstcommunicated to the parts will cause the coin to withdraw the latch outof the path of the nose I and prevent it from stopping the upwardmovement, and the door can be fully opened, giving access to thereceptacle D and retracting the pawl K past the point of a ratchet-toothon the disk B and the door descending after being thus raised andcarrying the projection 1 downward causes it to actuate the lever Kforcing it outward and drawing the slide-bar K inward, causing the pawlto engage a ratchet-tooth and actuate the magazine, rotating it adistance equal to the space occupied by one pocket. The edge of thelever K is cut away in such form toward the projection I that verylittle motion is communicated to the lever and to the pawl by thedownward movement of thedoor during the portion of that movement whichoccurs before the nose I is engaged under the latch G, the intentionbeing that such movement as may be given the magazine during thisportion of the descent of the door shall not be suificient to remove thepocket of the magazine which has been in line with the aperture andbring the next one into such position that its contents can bedischarged through the aperture, the entire effective actuation of themagazine occurring during the portion of the downward movement of thedoor which occurs after the nose has passed below the latch and becomeengaged thereby, so that the return upward is impossible. This is notinconsistent with the ICC fact that the upward movement of the doorthrough the same distance-that is, through the distance which it canmove before the nose collides with the latchis ineffectual to actuate orbring the pawl in position to actuate the magazine, for in said upwardmovement the pawl may be retracted almost to the point of aratchet-tooth and yet not far enough to become engaged with it, and inthe downward movement it may be advanced almost to the base of aratchet-tooth, and yet not far enough to actuate it, the veryslightintervalbetween the end of the ineifectual upward movement and theineffectual downward movement being simply enough to permit the pawlwhen actually engaged with the tooth to rotate the magazine a distanceequal to the thickness of the partition-wall between consecutive pocketswithout, therefore, uncoveriug'the next pocket,even to the very slightextent necessary to permit the discharge of a stamp; but in order toeven more effectually prevent the delivery of the stamp from themagazine into the receptacle D by the rotary movement of the magazinecaused during the downward movement of the door to an extent notsufficient to latch it, as well as for other purposes which may behereinafter stated, we prefer to provide the stampcase N, made of sheetmetal folded together in a simple form, leaving sufficient space betweenthe folded leaves of metal to receive loosely the number of stamps whichit is designed to deliver at each actuation of the magazine, suchstamp-case N being of sufficient thickness, including the thickness ofits two walls of sheet metal and the space between them for the stamps,to require considerable space for their delivery out of thepockets ofthe magazine and through the aperture C and when the magazine ischarged, not with loose stamps, but with these stampcases containingstamps, itbecom es necessary that the magazine should revolve far enoughto expose at the aperture C enough of the width of the mouth of thepocket to allow the escape of the case N before delivery will beeffected. This enables us to give plenty of range of movement to thedogto avoid the ne-' cessity of too accurate fitting of the parts withoutdanger of causing too early delivery of stamps into the receptacle. Inorder to prevent accidental overfeeding of the receptacle by the pawlK,'whieh might result from the momentum imparted to thereceptacle byavery sudden downward movement of the door, we provide the secondratchet-disk B having its teeth facing in the opposite direction fromthe teeth of the ratchet-disk B and on the case 0 we pivot the dog Kadapted to engage said ratchet-disk, and having the arm K extendingthrough the slide K, so that the-dog is actuated by the slide andcarried into engagement with the ratchet-disk B by the'same movement ofthe slide which caused the pawl K, engaging the ratchet-disk B to rotatethe magazine. The said dog K is advanced far enough so that it willengage the tooth of'the disk 13 to arrest the movement of said disk andof the magazine by the least movement of the slide, which is sufficientto cause the pawl K to carry the magazine far enough to take the toothof the disk B last engaged by the dog K out of range of the dogthat is,a movement of the pawl K which will not throw the magazine farther thanone tooth brings the dog K in position to arrest the movement of themagazine.

0 is a slide attached to the forward edge of the magazine-case C at theupper side, having a range of movement horizontally on itssupporting-screws c sufficient to permit its finger G which in oneposition closes the slot A in the front plate, to be removed aside fromsaid slot, so as to uncover it. This slide has a tooth C projecting backtoward the face of the magazine, and the magazine has 011 said forwardside a tooth B in position to engage the tooth 0 when the rotation ofthe magazine has brought the said tooth B into proper position, and whensaid teeth are thus engaged the rotation of the magazine a distancecorresponding to one pocket operates the slide 0", actuatingithorizontally and moving the finger G into positionrsuch that it-closesthe slot A The tooth B is located on the magazine at such position thatit will be engaged and actuate the slide to close the slot when acertain pocket, being one approximately opposite the tooth, at the lowerside of the magazine is coincident with the aperture 0 In filling themagazine it is designed to place in this pocket, (marked for distinction13 instead of a case containing a stamp a special case marked with theword Empty or with a word indicating that ICC the magazine is emptied,and when the 'device has been operated as many times as there arepockets in the magazine,-so that the latter has been rotated once andthe pocket B has been brought to the aperture 0 and has delivered thecase marked Empty, the same movement which caused that delivery willoperate the slide 0 and close the slot, thus providing double means forpreventing the deposit of coin in the slot at a time when the magazineis not charged so as to deliver stamps, the intending user being warnedby the presence of the empty card in the receptacle from attempting tooperate the device, and being further prevented from depositing a coinby the closing of the slot.

0' is a slide having bearings provided for it on the case 0, adapted toclose the aperture 0 (3 is a lever pivoted on the case, engaging theprotruding end of the slide (3 toactuate it at will. This lever extendsdown past the deliveryreceptacle D and has its handle within reach ofthe operator through the door A*, which gives access to the coin-drawer.The purpose of this aperture is to close the aperture 0 while themagazine is being charged, it being necessary to rotate it by hand forthat purpose, the absence of such a IIO prevention causing danger ofdelivering the contents of half the magazine while the other half isbeing filled.

1. In combination with the exteriorcase, the magazine adapted todischarge its contents when rotated, a receptacle within the exteriorcase into which the magazine discharges, a door which closes suchreceptacle, mechanism for rotating the magazine, connected to andoperated by the door, and coin-controlled mechanism which locks the doorand thereby locks the rotating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the exterior case, the magazine having peripheralpockets, the magazlne-case inclosing the magazine and having an openingthrough which the pockets may discharge successively as the magazinerevolves, the receptacle located in position to receive the contentsdischarged through said opening, the door which closes such receptacle,mechanism for rotating the magazine, connected to and operated by thedoor, and coin-controlled mechanism which looks the door and therebylocks the rotating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the exterior case, a magazine, thedelivery-receptacle within the case adapted to receive articles from themagazine, mechanism for delivering the articles successively from themagazine into the delivery-receptacle, a door which when opened affordsaccess into the deliveiyreceptaele from outside the case, mechanism bywhich the door actuates the delivery mechanism, and coin-controlledmechanism forsuch door, substantially as set forth.

4:. In combination with the exterior case, a magazine therein, thedeliveryreceptacle within the case adapted to receive articles from themagazine, mechanism for delivering the articles successively from themagazine into the delivery receptacle, a door which when opened affordsaccess into the deliveryreceptacle from outside the case, mechanism bywhich the door act uates the delivery mechanism during the closingmovement of the door, and coin-controlled locking mechanism for thedoor, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the exterior case, a magazine, thedelivery-receptacle Within the case adapted to-receive articles from themagazine, mechanism for delivering the articles successively from themagazine into the dc livery-receptacle, a door which when opened affordsaccess into the delivery-receptacle from outside the ease,coin-controlled lockin g mechanism for such door, and connections fromthe door by which it actuates the delivering mechanism during theclosing movement of the door and after the latter is locked,substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, substantially as set forth, the rotary magazinehaving peripheral pockets, the case which closes the discharge-mouth ofsaid pockets, having an opening at one point to permit the discharge ofthe pockets as they successively revolve past said opening, thedelivery-receptacle into which said opening leads, the sliding doorwhich closes said receptacle, and mechanism actuated by the door as thelatter slides to rotate the magazine, and coin-controlled mechanism forlooking such door, whereby upon the deposit of proper coin the door maybe opened and caused to actuate the magazine to cause the delivery fromit into the receptacle of the contents of one pocket, substantially asset forth. 4

7. In combination with the magazine having pockets for packages and thereceptacle having an aperture at the top in position to coincidesuccessively with the discharge-mouths of the pockets as the magazinerevolves, the door which closes said receptacle and mechanism connectedto and actuated by the door in the latter part of its closing movementto rotate the magazine, said door having a range of movement after itreaches aposition wherein it fully obstructs access to the receptaclesufficient to so actuate said mechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. In combination with the case and the delivery-receptacle having itsdelivery-opening coinciding withan opening through the ease, themagazine having pockets for packages, revolving above thedeliveryreceptacle to bring the discharge-mouths of said pocketssuccessively into position to discharge into the receptacle, a slidingdoor for said receptacle, which when closed obstructs access into itfrom outside the case, pawl-and-ratehet mechanism connected to the doorand actuated by the sliding movement thereof to rotate the magazine, thepawl of said mechanism being retracted overthe ratchet-wheel during theopening movement of the door and engaging its ratchet and actuating saidmagazine during the latter part of the closing movement only, saidactuation being sufficient to cause the delivery of the contents of apocket into the receptacle only after the door has closed far enough toobstruct access into the receptacle, whereby access from outside thecase into the magazine through the receptacle is prevented,substantially as set forth.

9. In combination with the magazine having pockets, adelivery-receptacle with which said pockets successively communicate asthe magazine revolves, a door which closes said receptacle,mechanismoperated by the door to rotate the magazine during the closing movementof the door, and coin-controlled mechanism which looks the door shut,adapted to engage and so look the door during the closing of the latterbefore said movement has actuated the magazine, substantially as setforth.

10. In combination with the magazine having peripheral pockets, the easeinclosing said magazine, and an aperture through which said pockets candischarge successively as they reach the same in the rotation of themaga- IIO zine, mechanism adapted to be operated from outside the caseto rotate the same, coin-controlled locking mechanism for saidmagazineoperating mechanism, an exterior case which incloses saidmagazine and magazine-case, having a slot through which a coin may beintroduced to operate said coin -controlled mechanism, and a slideadapted to close said slot, the magazine having a projection whichengages said slide at one point in the rotation of the magazine tooperate the same to close the slide, substantially as set forth.

11. In combination with the magazine having the ratchet-disk B the pawlK, and the slide-bar which supports it, the lever K which operates saidslide-bar, the sliding door having the projection 1 which contacts theside of the lever K to operate said lever and the pawl K as the doorreciprocates, the edge of said lever being shaped at the edge which saidprojection contacts, substantially as described, to cause the projectionto move the lever to drive the pawl into operative engagement with theratchet B during the latter part only of the descending movement of thedoor, substantially as set for h.

12. In combination with the magazine having the ratchet-disks B and Bhaving their teeth facing in opposite directions, the actuating-pawl K,and the mechanism which operates it, the detent-dog K connected to andactuated by the mechanism which actuates the pawlK, substantially as setforth, whereby said detont-dog is protruded into the path of the teethof the ratchet B by the first feeding movement of the pawl K to preventoverfeeding of the magazine, substantially as set forth. 7

In testimony whereof We have set our hands,

in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago,

